Companions' Return
by Kindali Sidera
Summary: After a second war with the Empire Valdemar loses.The Companions and their Heralds are slaughtered.Years later it is finally time for them to return.A son of the Empire is Chosen to help in the fight and he faces a terrible descision: Companion or country
1. Chapter 1

Years ago, in the second fight against the Empire, the Heralds and their Companions lost the war for Valdemar. The Empire hunted down every last one of them, and a horrible slaughter was committed. It is said, that if you listen hard, you can still hear the cry of the last Companion as she feel in vain for her beloved Herald and Valdemar. On that day, the Gods wept. They mourned those lost to the world they ruled over and loved. In their arms they held them; cradling them and relieving them of the pain of those horrible deaths, until a time when they would be ready to return. Now is that time.

* * *

Lian set the little girl in his arms back on the floor by her mother's feet. She smiled shakily up at him, holding her right hand close to her body. He patted her brown curls before saying in a slightly reprimanding voice, "Do you promise not to play on those wood piles again? I don't think I'll fix any more nasty splinters like that if you do." She nodded her head quickly at him.

His eyes turned to the little girl's mother. She looked apologetic as she thanked him. "I'm sorry I had to trouble you again, Lian. She just can't seem to stay out of trouble. I never had any problems with her brother, but she seems intent upon hurting herself in any way she can."

He smiled at her. "Don't worry; it is my job after all. Without little girls like her I would have no one to heal!" He tweaked the girl on the nose as she giggled. Turning back to the mother he handed her a small jar. "This is an ointment that you need to rub on two times a day: once in the morning, once in the evening. Make sure the wound is clean before you put it on."

The woman nodded, taking the jar. "How long will I need to use it?"

"Until it's completely healed. If you have any left over just keep it for the next time." He smiled slightly as she sighed in exasperation and ushered the small girl out of the house and onto the road.

He stared after them as they walked the short distance to the small town. Turning back to the front room of his house he used for treatments and Healing he began to clean up the small mess. As the only Healer in the small town he was visited quite often for minor injuries like the one he just treated. However, in fall and winter he began seeing less of the minor injuries and more of the serious ones caused by harvesting accidents and diseases that thrived within the close confines of the people in winter. And that was what he loved.

He never Healed any minor injuries or sicknesses simply because it was a waste of energy. And whenever he even thought about doing so a nagging voice sounded in his head. It was that of his old teacher. She had always pounded it into his head that it was wrong to waste energy on things that would heal fine with a bit of time. So fall and winter were his favorite times of year. He was able to use the Healing powers he was Gifted with much more frequently.

Not that he wished the people of his town to be injured. No, he just reveled in the ability and the experience of Healing them. It had always been his passion.

He placed the towels he used in a special basket designated for things he needed to wash thoroughly and he placed the special cloth used for bandages in a drawer. He then grabbed a rag and began to wipe down the table. His teacher's voice rang through his head again, _'Clean everything thoroughly after each patient and before the next. No two patients should ever have to touch something a previous patient had before it is washed. Keep your work area clean, and you keep it healthy.'_ He turned and threw the dirty rag into the basket before retreating further into his house.

Behind the table and opposite the door leading out of the house was another door that led into his sitting room. The fireplace lay cold and the windows were thrown open, allowing the cooling summer breeze sweep through the house. On the left lay a doorway into the kitchen and the right into the bedroom. Lian went to his chair by the window and was about to continue reading the book he had abandoned when he saw a flash of white out of the corner of his eye.

Setting the book back down, he peered out of the window. His eyes widened in shock. Outside his window and a little over one hundred feet away stood a white horse. It stood completely still in a field, not noticing the noisy town not so far away. It was staring straight at his house. He slowing backed from the window, not wanting to take his eyes off of it in case it disappeared.

From this distance Lian was almost positive it was completely white. He wasn't sure if it had blue eyes, but he raced out of his sitting room and into the front room, searching for a rope. If the horse indeed had blue eyes, and the Empire found out he had let an Undesirable get away he would be in huge trouble.

The Empire took seriously anyone owning an Undesirable without turning it in or anyone who had seen one and let it get away. The person in question would be killed, along with the horse if it was ever found. Imperial Law said any Undesirables, or Heathen Horse look-alikes, must be turned into the proper authorities to be killed. They showed no mercy when it came to this law.

Finding a rope, Lian ran out of the house and towards the horse. When he was within twenty feet he slowed down. He did not wish to startle the thing into running; but it stayed completely still, the only movement being that of its head as it followed his progress towards it.

As he got closer and closer, he realized the thing did indeed have blue eyes. He looked the horse over more and began to wish it was any other color besides white. She, for he had determined it was a she by a quick duck of his head, was a beautiful horse. He had never seen any horse as wonderful as this one. Her body was sleek and obviously built for speed. As he circled her he felt drawn to reach out and touch her. He could practically feel how soft she would be if he did so; but he stopped himself before he did.

Instead he moved to stand on her right, slowly maneuvering the rope so he could slip it around her neck. However, before he could do so his eyes flickered to the blue ones staring at him.

And he was lost in a sea of ice blue and warmth that filled his whole being.

* * *

A/N: This is my first Mercedes Lackey fanfiction. I'm surprised it has taken me so long to write one. : P Mercedes Lackey is my favorite author and I've actually had this idea for a story for a while now. I hope you all like it. Please review and tell me what you think of it. Feel free to point out any mistakes or ask questions about what is happening if you do not get something. In fact, I hope you do both! It will help me make this a better reading experience for everyone. Thank you for reading and again, please review!  
Kindali


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: I realized that I forgot my disclaimer on the last chapter, so here it is: I do not own the world of Velgarth. It belongs to Mercedes Lackey. I do however, own the characters.  
I would like to thank those of you who read chapter one and are now moving on to chapter two. I hope you like it.

* * *

It felt like he had been floating in that wonderful place of blue forever. As he was released from it Lian found himself wishing for it to come back and take him. However, before he could think more on it he was startled by a voice and the realization that he was leaning against something soft and warm. He jumped away from what he realized was the horse.

The horse stared intently at him. _:Hello, Dear One. My name is Liin, and I have Chosen you to be my Herald.:_

His mind raced as he heard the mindvoice. No one in his town knew what Mindspeaking was and he doubted anyone traveling nearby knew either. The only reason he knew was because of his training as a Healer. His teacher had said that she must prepare him for Healing anyone, and that included those from countries in which Mindspeaking was as common as breathing. He doubted he would need the knowledge back then, but now he was eternally grateful for the woman. And now as he stared at the horse he realized that she could be the only source for the voice.

He had heard of animals that were able to speak, such as the legendary bondbirds of the long dead Hawkbrothers, but he had never heard of horses that were able to. He turned to look back at the town. As amazing at having a horse speak to him was, he would have to turn it in. Otherwise he would be killed. _Or worse,_ he thought, _sent to the warehouses with the senile and crazy._ He shuddered at the thought.

Turning back to the horse he reached down to pick up the rope he had dropped. A silver hoof stepped on it, preventing him from picking it up. _:You are needed, Dear One. We must go before they see us. I am sure I could get us away in time, but no one must notice us. It is dangerous times for those like us and it could jeopardize what I am here to do.:_

As Lian looked at the Undesirable he felt an urgency that was not his own rush through him. It was then that he realized the warmth from the blue place was still with him. Turning to look within himself as he did when he entered a Healing trance, he felt and saw the warmth pulsing down a channel and into him. Opening his eyes he saw the world as the energy that was given off by all living creatures. He could see the channel that was pulsing with warmth and followed it to where it connected. His eyes found the brightly glowing form of the horse.

Before he could think about what it meant, the horse interrupted. _:Dear One,_ _we do not have time for this. We must hurry; now come on. I can explain everything later.:_

Blinking, he saw the horse as she looked normally with her back presented to him. She stamped her hoof in annoyance. He didn't know what else he could do, so he climbed up onto her bare back and held on as she sped towards the trees at the end of the fields at an unnatural pace.

* * *

They had been running for what he guessed was a candlemark before they finally slowed down and entered a small clearing in the dense Pelagiris forest. He slid off the horse's back and looked up at the sky. He could tell from the pinkish color that the sun was about to set. A chill set over him for a moment before he shook it off. 

The Pelagiris had been cleaned out of the terrible beasts that had resided here over a hundred years ago by the Empire. He had no need to worry, but the stories his mother used to tell him as a child to keep him from venturing into the forest at night still did their job. At twenty-five years old he preferred to keep well away from the forest at night unless he had no other choice. He always thought of the possibility of the Empire missing a few changelings.

Hot breath blew on the back of his neck making him swing around in surprise. _:There is no need to worry, Dear One. We would know if something dangerous was out there.:_

He realized that what the horse said was true. The forest was filled with noises that would stop the moment any predator appeared. He peered out into the darkening trees. Even though he knew it to be true didn't mean that he still wouldn't like it. He turned back to the horse.

_:I suppose now I should give you an explanation as to what is happening. It was too dangerous to stay and explain back by your town.:_ Lian nodded as he stared at the horse warily. He still couldn't believe he let a talking Undesirable take him anywhere it pleased. _:The first thing I should say is that I am no horse. And I would ask that you quit calling me that. I am a Companion, and you are my Chosen.:_

He stared at the horse. Or Companion as she said she was. She must have been listening in on his thoughts. She confirmed that she had been before he could even voice the question. _:I can't help that I hear your thoughts. When you have a bond like ours I have to purposefully block your thoughts so I don't hear them.:_

"Bond?" Lian asked. "Is that what that thing is connecting us?" He was referring to the link that he could feel pulsing between them if he concentrated.

The Companion nodded. _:Companions like me Choose people to become their Herald. And I have Chosen you to be mine. We have a very important duty that we must complete.:_

Lian shook his head in confusion. "I don't even really know what Companions and Heralds are and you're talking about a duty we have to complete?"

There was a soft chuckle in his head and he felt a pulse of warmth and love come through the bond. _:I'm sorry, Dear One. I have forgotten how much time has passed and that you would have no idea what we are. I have no doubt those of Valdemarian descent would know, but they would never dare speak of it to a son of the Empire.:_

Lian only had time to wonder what Valdemar had anything to do with this before the Companion went into her story. _:You see, before the Empire conquered Valdemar there were many, many Companions and their Heralds. It was their duty to protect and keep order in Valdemar. Everyone in the country trusted them because Companions were, and are again, one of the most righteous beings on Velgarth. And they only Choose the most righteous and good people to be their Heralds. That is why the King or Queen had to be a Herald. If a Companion would Choose them, then the country and all Valdemarians knew that they would do right and lead the country to the benefit of her people. _

_:Heralds were trained in a school at the palace where they learned everything they would need to know to be a good Herald. And they also were trained in whatever Gifts they had been granted. When they were done with their training, they would go with their Companion on a circuit of the country to bring justice to those who needed it and protection to all._

_:However, when Valdemar lost the second war with the Empire it was ordered that all Companions and there Heralds be killed, and all records of them to be destroyed. Only those who lived in Valdemar when it truly was Valdemar know about us. And now Companions are back. It is our duty to free Valdemar from the Empire. It is what we have come back for.:_

Lian stared at the ground by his knee. He had sat down in the middle of Liin's story, trying to take all of it in. It was so much information to take in in such a short span of time. He didn't know how to react.

The Empire had destroyed a complete part of history. And it was recent history as well. He was amazed that something that occurred less than 150 years ago had been completely erased and that he had known nothing about it. It made him wonder what else he did not know about the history of his people, or others'. What amazed him more was the thought that people in his own town may have known about it.

They had kept it a secret, this part of history. He wondered if it was kept a secret because of the risk of being quieted by the Empire, or because of resentment for the Empire for taking something so important away. He guessed it was a combination of both.

He thought of something and looked up and into the eyes of his Companion. "Is that why the Empire made it Imperial Law that all white horses with blue eyes must be killed, along with their owners?"

Liin nodded. _:The Emperor knows that all Companions are white with blue eyes. He also knows that it is impossible for us to change our colors for any period of time. We only bleach ourselves out again because of the magic. He is afraid that we will come back to try and take back our country.:_

Lian snorted. "He was right to be worried, wasn't he?"

Liin nodded her head again and Lian had a feeling that if she were in human form she would be smiling. She spoke up again. _:That is all I will tell you tonight. It is late and you should probably think this all over and make a fire. I will explain more tomorrow and when we get to our destination.:_

He thought of asking more questions, like where exactly they were going, but when he looked up at the sky he thought better of it. It was filled with stars and clearly showed that the sun had been down for a while. He stood up and walked warily towards the beginning of the trees. He collected fallen and dead branches before returning to the middle of the clearing where Liin was busy munching on grass.

He set to work in clearing a large circle of its grass before building up the fire in it. Using the grass he had just pulled up, he tried to make the ground a little softer by creating a makeshift bed. He lay down and looked up at the stars. Liin was still munching away on the grass at the edge of the circle. He sighed and turned over trying to get some rest as his stomach growled.

* * *

A/N: Thank you again for reading this! I hope you all enjoyed it.  
And yes, it is moving a bit slow right now. The next few chapters will explain more of the history and unearth a few things that will come as a complete shock to Lian (and to the Empire towards the end). They will also delve deeper into Liin's character, as well as some new ones that will be popping up.  
Again, I hope you enjoyed. Please review and give me feedback! It really does help! Thanks!  
- Kindali 


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